Illuminated screw driver



June 8, 1948. M. R. HENDERSON ILLUMINATED SCREW DRIVER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 7,' 1946 INVENTOR. M. R.HENDER.'0N

M. R. HENDERSON ILLUMINATED scREw DRIVER `lume 8, 1948.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 7, 1946 ES N/ E@ HR RW M Patented June 8, 1948 UNIED STATES PATENT OFFICE ILLUMINATED SCREWDRIVER,

Mal Roy Henderson, .Wichitm Kans. Application December 7, 1946, Serial No. '714,761

1 claim. 1

'Ihis invention herein disclosed relates to an illuminated screw driver, and has for its principal object the provision of illuminating means carried by a screw driver for producing light directly on the work operated upon, thus eliminating the process of fishing for such work in the dark, or obscured places, and such driver as equipped being adaptable for use on automobiles, radios, electrical apparatus, or the like, and more specically on screws which are located in congested places wherein little light is present.

Another object of this invention is to provide a light `for a screw driver that may be Vset at various places about the axis of the shank of a screw driver by rotation thereof, whereby should a sector portion of the shank diametrically opposite the light produce shading on work, the light may be rotated a predetermined arc about the shank to direct light on the aforementioned shaded portion.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a light that when adjusted to a selected position about the shank, an electric current will be automatically closed to operate the light.

A still further object of this invention is to construct the handle and light bulb carrying head from insulation material as well as insulate the drivers shank from the handle, whereby an electric current coming in contact with the shank will not burn out the bulb or produce an electric shock to an operator of the tool.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a handle that is easily taken apart for the replacement of a light bulb and batteries to actuate the light, and furthermore to produce a handle and a light for a screw driver that is inexpensive to construct and eicient in its performance.

These and other objects will hereinafter be more fully explained, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a -part of this specification, wherein like characters will apply to like parts in the different views.

Referring to the drawingst.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the handle of the screw driver, taken on line I-i in Fig. 3, the drivers shank, light bulb and bat- Fig. 5 is an inner side view of the light bulb (Cl. 24U-6.46)

Fig. 7 is an enlarged modied view of the head n and electric contacts for the bulb, parts removed v for convenience of illustration. f

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the inner end of the'V driver shank 2, or thelike, that is rigidly secured in the inner end of the handle by extending concentrically into the handle a predetermined distance and retained against rotation therein by any suitable means such as by lugs 3.

It will be seenthat the` inner end ofthe handle has a cylindrical hub 4 integrally joined thereto and through which the shank extends and into the handle. Rotatably mounted on thev hub fi is an annular head, the diameter of which corre,- sponds with the diameter of the inner end of the handle. Said head is composed of two memv bers 5 and 6 being secured together by tongues l engaging in grooves formed in said member 6,

and having insulation screws 8 extending through the ears 9 and tongues 1. Said screws 8 have cylindrical extensions I0 reducedI indiameter from that ofthe screws to engage in anannular groove Il formed in the hub to retain said head againstrernoval therefrom in coaction with a` semi-circular flange I2 integrally formed Y on member 5 andY engaging in said groove H. To separate the head fromv the hub, the screws 8 are removed, permitting member 6 to be withdrawn longitudinally therefrom, at which time, member 5 may be laterallymoved to disengage the flange from the groove. i

Carried in the head which is capable of 'being rotated about the shank of the driver is a light bulb A, directing its light rays on and adjacent the blade portion I3 of the shank so lthat the blade portion may be readily inserted in a nick of a screw without iishing for such in case of darkness or partiallyso.. To secure the light bulb in the head, said head has a bore Hl to receive the base portion of the bulb, and a reduced borer lli through which extends the light producing end of the bulb, the reduced portion being means to retain the bulb from outward movement, said bulb capable of being carried about the axis of the shank will direct light rays upon a selected edge or side of the shanks blade I3 and adjacent thereto.

',Ihe light bulb as arranged in the drawing will be energized'when set. at four positions equally divided circumferentially about the axis of the drivers shank. In operation of the screw driver, the light may be turned to either side of the blade or to either edge thereof to provide. suffi.-

cient light on the blade as well as the workv or` screw engaged by the blade, in other may be produced at the desired side or edge of the blade by merely rotating the head', or by rotating the handle within the head.

should it be desired to observe the work clearly all= about the blade, saidV blade. may be. held, sta.-

tionarily and the head rotated to position thebulb adjacent the: shaded! side. of the. work and shank as: it williV be understood that. the side of. the. shanks blade opposite that of the bulb is .shaded due. tof-the: obstructionzoisaid. blade.. y

Toenergize the bulb, it will. be. seen in Figs. l and 5, that a recess isformed in the. inner wall of` the bore IA-of the. head forreceiving an arenate spring contact I-5,.as one. side ofan electrical circuit for. energizing the b.u-lb,. said contact I5 being` connectedbya rigid wire I 6 Yto.V another contact. Il which isdiametricaHy opposite the shank from. contact -I5.and beingcarri'ed by the inner side ofthe head as: shown in Fig.v 5, said.

wirebeing forcedA into-aV groove to retain said contacts l5 and I1 frorndisplacement. The other side of the` circuit is throughthe mediumofthe light. bulb. electrode L8 engaging. on.v av selected contact of one-ot Va. pair ot contacts I-91and.2'0,1 said pair of contacts. being the minus and'-v plus sides of,A the circuit. respectively, Contacts I9 are connected, by a.. wire-21,. whileY contacts 2U are connected by a wire 22.. said wires being forcedv in anfarCuate. groove.formed,in the inner end of the. head to retainr said contacts, from displacement.. Contacts 20. connect. to the plus post 2?,.of one. of a of. batteries 24' through the, medium of an. arcuate. spring, member 25" anda wireZI conducting, current from the spring member 25. tothe contactj, and also functioning` asmeans. to. retainthe. spring member 2'5. at the inner terminal end of, aboreformed in the handle and extending inward fromthe outer end thereof for carrying` the saidbatteries, said' bore terminating ashortdistancefromthe inner end' of the shank ofthe, driver. Contactmembers I9 are grounded to. thebatteries by a wire, 215 having itsz, inner endconnectedfto one contact member I3, andifrom thence,runningvthroughthe handle longitudinally. and..terminating` in a regages, in the boreothe handleA at its outer end..

'I'.o. energizetheblllb, the ,head is rotated to engagefthe bulbs electrode IllV with either. one of the. pair otcontacts, I 9 and-2.0- while thelcon-` tact II connects with a contact of a pair that 4 is diametrically opposite the contact engaged by the electrode of the bulb to make an electric circuit.

Fig. 6 illustrates the method of mounting contact member I9, which is similar as contacts I1 and 20, said contacts having right angle bent portions 33 extending from the same side of the contacts to engage in recesses formed in the handle and head,.respectively, said contacts being capabie of flexing suflcient to. permit connection with the electrode by a sliding contact engagement. To avoid easy separation of the electrode with. its, respective contact, the said contact is arced inwardly between the right angle bent portionstofunction. as a seat for the electrode, but

capable of,being moved therefrom by gripping the head with the ngers and turning the same.

It willi bee'understood that the handle, cap and revolving head is made from plastic material of an insulation. nature whereby should the shank come. incontact with an electric current accidentally said current will not be conducted to the. handle orbulb and' will thus avoid iniuryto the bulb. and operator` of the tool.

Figs. 7 8,l 9', and' I0. areenlarged views illustrating a modification, in which case, the light bulb-carrying head 33 is composed of one continuous ring-like structureand adapted to. rotate about the hub 34. Electric wire 2'I has its inner end securedto a washer-like contact 35 which is carried rigidly in the handle portion I, saidelectrode of the light bulb engaging on the annular and washer-like contact 35 to close the circuit for oneside thereof. The otherside ofthe circuit is made through the, medium of a spring contact member having a downwardly extendingY leg B to engage `the bulb and' a springing leg C connectedto the leg B bya crotch D. Leg C has. an arcuate portion C' to seat in a groove E formed in thehuband in contact with an annular ring 36. which is rigidly secured in said. grooveE. Said. ring, 36` hasl secured thereto a wire 26 to close the other side of the circuit when the arcuate portion of leg C is positioned in groove E, in which. case, the head may be rotated making a continuous circuit in its movement. To assist in retaining the head in. position, on thehub, there is provided. a spring member having a leg F and a right, anglebend G.extending into the inner wall of the heads bore.. to. retain said spring member, and an arcuate portion H to engage in the groove E; To break the circuit provided for the b ulb, the head is gripped and moved outwardly or away from the handle to displace electric contact leg C from groove E and into a similargroove J, in which movement the arcuate portions of the legs C and F will spring sufcient to.. extend into depressions 31 formed in the headto pass, over ridge K positioned between said. grooves. When it is desired to light the bulbthe.head is forced inwardlyV closing the circuit, and in operation of the. tool, the light bulb may be held stationaiy to direct its light rays uponA a desired spot,.while the handle is rotated to perform its function.

I, am. aware that'V illuminated screw drivers have been made by others and which I do' not claimbroadly, but Ildo claim the arrangement of a light that may berotated about the shank of a screw driver, whereby the light may be adjusted to produce light rays directlyupon' a desiredplace which otherwise may be shaded by the shank obstruction, and other modications may be` made `as lie within the scope of the appendedv claim;

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure. by Letters Patent is:

In an illuminated tool of the class described comprising an elongated handle and a shank extending into one end of the handle and being rigidly secured thereto, said end of the handle having a cylindrical hub extending thererom and through which the shank extends, an annular head rotatably mounted on the hub by tongue and groove construction, a light bulb carried in the head with its light producing end directed toward the shank of the tool, two pairs of electric contacts carried by the rst said end of the handle and being equally divided circumferentially about the axis of the shank, batteries carried within the handle, an electric conductor running through the handle for connecting one pair/"of contacts with one side of the batteries, an electric conductor to connect the other pair of electric contacts with the other side of the batteries, an electric contact carried by the inner side of the head, said bulb and last said electric contact being positioned diametrically opposite 4the shank and adapted to contact the two pairs of electric contacts, respectively, and to energize the bulb at four locations about the shanks axis, and an electric conductor to connect the bulb and last said electric contact, said bulb being de-energized by rotating the head wherein the bulb and the oppositely disposed contact will clear the said two pairs of electric contacts.

MAL ROY HENDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

